Omani Pilot Transferred to UAE; Israel Prepares Investigation Team

The Omani pilot who attempted to crash a Flydubai flight was transferred from Saudi Arabia to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, according to a Saudi statement. Israel intends to participate in the investigation in the UAE and is preparing to send its own investigative team to probe the pilot, whom they are considering a terrorist. While U.S. President Donald Trump suggested Iran might be involved, Israeli assessments currently do not point to Iranian involvement in the incident, which involved a flight with 180 passengers, many of them Israelis. However, Israel has not completely ruled out Iranian participation.

The UAE is reportedly angered by Israel's premature declaration of the incident as a terrorist attack before the investigation's conclusion, fearing damage to their international standing. Despite this, Saudi Arabia, where the pilot underwent initial questioning, also acknowledged the event as a terrorist attack.

President Trump commented on the incident, stating that based on what he heard, Iran was involved and that the U.S. would respond forcefully if Iranian involvement is confirmed. He also suggested the possibility that the pilot may have been placed by the Revolutionary Guard, adding that this was still under investigation.